- The former German chancellor warns that the consequences of the war will be "far-reaching".
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| Angela Merkel, during an interview on German television, in a file image. |
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has broken her silence and has described the Russian attack on Ukraine as "a flagrant violation" of International Law and a "deep rupture" in the history of Europe after the Second World War.
In her first public speech in six months, Merkel, who has been reluctant to intervene or comment at public events, expressed her solidarity on Wednesday with the people of Ukraine, who "have been attacked and invaded by Russia" and "deserve their right to self-defense.
The former German chancellor for four terms has indicated that she supports the efforts undertaken by the current German government, led by Olaf Scholz, as well as the role of the European Union, the United States and NATO allies, the G7, and also the UN " to ensure that this barbaric war of aggression by Russia is stopped".
Merkel has spoken in front of 200 guests at a farewell event in Berlin for trade union leader Reiner Hoffmann, who recently resigned as president of the influential German Trade Union Confederation, and has indicated that the consequences of the war will be "far-reaching", especially for the Ukrainian people, but also for the continent.
In addition, she has emphasized the human rights abuses perpetrated against civilians on Ukrainian territory. "Bucha is representative of this horror," he said, referring to the massacres in hundreds of Kyiv suburbs.
Finally, Merkel has specified that there is "a small ray of hope" in "this infinite sadness" due to the enormous support for the Ukrainians that many neighboring countries have shown, such as Poland and Moldova. "We must never take peace and freedom for granted," she concluded.